Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Tuesday Top 10: Favorite Horror Comedies of the Decade

In conjunction with HorrorBlips.com--the veritable barometer of the horror blogosphere--as well as my own just-begun series on horror in the 2000s, I'm devoting this week's Tuesday Top 10 to what I would consider to be the finest horror comedies of the decade now coming to a close. Let's take a look at the scariest/funniest of the aughts, shall we?

10. Eight-Legged Freaks (2002)Yes, it's cheesy, and not exactly what I'd call a quality flick. Yet this over-the-top homage to the radioactive bug movies of the 1950s is a lot of fun, and hard not to like. David Arquette is just such a dummy, and I truly appreciate how he's been able to capitalize on that in his movie career.

9. Slither (2006)Unfortunately, this flick from Dawn of the Dead '04 screenwriter and Troma alum David Gunn was marketed as a straight-up horror movie, so a lot of people were disappointed at the sheer ridiculosity they beheld in the theaters. Too bad. How could you not love that freaky bloated mutant chick?

8. Scary Movie (2000)Believe it or not, there was actually a time when this series was pretty funny. Anna Faris is the funniest comic actress around, and this was basically what put her on the map. I never thought I'd side with the Wayans on anything, but there's no denying this franchise was way better in their hands.

7. Dance of the Dead (2008)Thanks to BJ-C of Day of the Woman for introducing me to this sweet little horror comedy about a bunch of misfit teens who have to save their much cooler high school cohorts from an all-out zombie uprising in their hometown. So many good bits throughout, and zombie sex is only one of them.

6. I Sell the Dead (2009)I just discovered this underrated indie gem thanks to IFC On-Demand, and I'm glad I did. LOTR's Dominic Monaghan stars in this story of common graverobbers who get more than they bargained for when they start unearthing zombies and all other sorts of not-quite-dead nasties. Ron Perlman is also excellent in a supporting role as a somewhat shady priest.

4. Fido (2006)A brilliant and subversive little piece of horror satire, this Canadian treasure crosses Pleasantville with Day of the Dead, with deliciously enjoyable results. The always excellent Dylan Baker is comedy gold, as is unrecognizable Scottish comedian Billy Connolly in the title role of everyone's favorite pet zombie. In turns subtle and laugh-out-loud funny.

3. Zombieland (2009)Holy crap was this movie a blast. A horror-comedy-action flick, how could you not love that? Woody Harrelson is amazing as the greatest cinematic zombie hunter of all time, and the comic chemistry between him and Jesse Eisenberg is absolutely off the charts. Plus, words cannot do justice to the already legendary Bill Murray cameo.

2. Trick r' Treat (2009)Yeah, I know it was produced two years ago, but it was just released this year. And man, did it ever make this Halloween season that much more fun for those of us fortunate enough to have seen it. A bit more scary than it is funny, nevertheless this delightful nod to the E.C. Comics tradition always keeps tongue firmly in cheek, as they say.

1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)But of course. The modern-day gold standard of horror comedies. Not only would I call this the best horror comedy of the decade, I'd go so far as to call it the finest flick out of the entire zombie renaissance of the past eight years--which is ironic, since it's obviously meant as a send-up of zombie films. Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's adoration for the subgenre comes through so clearly in every moment of this film, and it also works perfectly as a romantic comedy at the same time. Utterly brilliant.

14 comments:

Excellent choices. My only disagreement would be Scary Movie. I have tried (really, really tried) to enjoy the various "satire/parody" films that we have been subjected to this decade. I neither find them humorous or entertaining, nor am I impressed with Anna Faris (sorry). But that's just my opinion.

I would have substituted Feast (2005), which is so bloody & over-the-top you can't help but laugh your way through it.

Excellent choices. I watched Bubba Ho Temp again recently with my wife and rediscovered that it not only had some very funny bits and lines, but also was a pretty powerful and often very sad film about aging and becoming marginalized. Definitely not what I'd expect from Bruce.

Cabin Fever was also pretty damned funny...the deer and the kid with the mullet yelling PANCAKES and doing slo-mo kung fu.

Very good list. Seen them all except "I Sell the Dead" and "Trick 'r Treat" (damn you, Netflix and your very long waits!). The only one I'd disagree with is Fido, which I thought was alright, but not in my top 10. I'd put Feast in there over Fido.

SHAUN OF THE DEAD is straight-up one of the most entertaining movies of recent years, horror comedy or no, even if one is not a zombie fan, or doesn't get all the references. TRICK R' TREAT was great fun as well and seems like it's shaping up to be a cult classic.

It's a great list, B-Sol, with the exception of #8, which you could not make me sit through again at gunpoint. Adding insult to injury, this is the film that got to use the title Craven and Williamson originally wanted for Scream? Cruel.

If you like humourous zombie flicks, I'd check out Stacy: Attack of the Zombie Schoolgirls. It's one of those movies that you can't take seriously, and then you can, and then you can't, and then you can, and then you swear off hallucinogens for the rest of your life. LOL. But in all seriousness, the movie references some other famous zombie films but remains very much its own film, having weird, brief moments of clarity and insight in between talking about Butterfly Twinkle Powder (no, that was not a joke. I'm serious).

Which horror film *should* be remade?

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I've been fascinated with horror ever since my parents let me watch The Exorcist at 8 years old (what were they thinking??) and I ran up to my bed screaming when Linda Blair's eyes rolled into the back of her head.Although it often gets a bad rap from "mainstream" critics and audiences alike, horror has often been the most creative and vibrant movie genre of all, from Nosferatu to Saw. Some of the finest motion pictures ever made are part of the horror genre, including Frankenstein, Psycho, The Shining and my personal all-time favorite, George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.This blog is the culmination of my 25-year love affair with all things blood and guts--so check back here often for news and opinion on the world of horror. And remember...